Jorgensen v. J. C. Robinson Seed Co.

199 N.W. 855, 112 Neb. 573, 1924 Neb. LEXIS 203
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 31, 1924
DocketNo. 22877
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 199 N.W. 855 (Jorgensen v. J. C. Robinson Seed Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jorgensen v. J. C. Robinson Seed Co., 199 N.W. 855, 112 Neb. 573, 1924 Neb. LEXIS 203 (Neb. 1924).

Opinion

Thompson, J.

Plaintiff prosecutes this action to recover from the defendant $1,737.75 and interest since March 15, 1921, for 993 bushels of Sanford Flint corn, sold and delivered to defendant by him, under and in accordance with a seed corn contract, attached to and made a part of his petition. He alleges performance of all conditions precedent, and that he was ready and desired to deliver the corn in November, 1920, but owing to defendant’s lack of sacks it requested him to wait; that in the meantime defendant called for fair samples of the corn to be placed in sacks by the plaintiff, and delivered to its agent at North Loup, to be forwarded by him to defendant at Waterloo- for test; that he complied with the request, and the test was made by defendant; that it then notified him as follows, “The said test made showed the corn O. K. and that it was acceptable;” that the corn was then in good condition, and remained so until delivered to defendant at North Loup, March 9 to 15, inclusive, and received by its agent; that at the time he demanded the market price for field corn at North Loup, as per the contract, but at defendant’s request waited; that afterwards defendant’s agent, acting for' defendant, drew a draft in his favor for the 993. bushéls at $1.25 a bushel, [575]*575Reid corn market price, which draft was never paid. He ■therefore prays judgment for the agreed price of $1.75 a 'bushel. \

The contract, so far as is necessary for the purpose of this opinion, is contained in defendant’s brief, and is as follows:

“First party agrees to furnish second party stock seed ■sufficient to plant the acreage of vine seeds and corn hereinafter described; and second party agrees to properly prepare the ground and plant said seed in a proper and careful manner and in season, and to carefully care for and cultivate the crops springing from said seed, and to harvest the same in season, and to deliver the entire merchantable increase or crop therefrom on or before the dates hereinafter stated to the first party at his seed house at North Loup, Nebraska.

“Said seeds and corn, * * * when delivered by second party, shall be in a bright, well-cured and merchantable condition, the seeds retaining their natural color, and the corn to be well sorted at the sheller, * * * and all field corn to have germinating quality which will test at least 90 per cent. When field corns are delivered the market elevator price at the point of delivery shall be due and the balance to be due as soon as a proper test for germination, has been made. * * Provided, that in case ■said vine seeds or corn are not in merchantable condition, as above provided, at the time of delivery, first party may, ’ at his option, reject any part or all of such seeds or corn. * * *

“There shall be planted the acreage and pounds of seeds, for which prices shall be paid as follows:

Acres. Variety No. Date of Delivery. Price.

Thirty Field Corn, . Delivery on or $1.75 per bu.

Sanford Flint about January 1, 1921. 56 lbs.

“The compensation of second party for the performance of his part of this agreement shall be such sum as may be derived from all the marketable vine seeds and corn so delivered under this contract ■ at the prices above specified, [576]*576and less any expense herein provided to be deducted therefrom, in case there shall be any such expense, and less a quantity of seed of like character and amount as that furnished by the first party for planting. * * ' *

“Witness the signatures of the parties hereto the day and date above stated.

“The J. C. Robinson Seed Co.,

“By J. F. Earnest.”

The service of summons was had by serving on Earnest at North Loup, as defendant’s managing agent. Defendant appeared specially, and objected to the jurisdiction of the court,’ alleging by way of motion and affidavits that Earnest was not its managing agent. Counter affidavits were filed by the plaintiff. Motion overruled. Defendant presents the ruling on this motion as a reversible error.

Defendant answered, pleading the jurisdictional question raised in its special appearance* and admitting the contract and the incorporation of the defendant; that plaintiff had furnished the samples and it had tested same for germinating qualities, “and they were found to conform to the requirements of the contract.” It is then alleged that the samples were not “a fair average sample of the seed corn so grown, but for the purpose of deceiving defendant and in the effort to obtain the acceptance by the defendant of the corn so grown, selected samples of only the very best of such corn which he specially prepared to the end that it would apparently conform to the terms of the contract as being in a merchantable condition for seed purposes;” that plaintiff knew the corn he contracted to sell the defendant was for seed purposes; that when the corn was received by it at Waterloo it was “not in accordance with the contract requirements;” that it was compelled to and did sell the corn at auction, and received $427, which it tendered to the plaintiff, and brought the same into court for that purpose; and closed its answer by a general denial of plaintiff’s allegations except those specifically admitted.

Plaintiff for reply interposed a general denial, except [577]*577wherein the answer admitted facts set forth in the petition.

Case tried to a jury, verdict and judgment for plaintiff for $1,737.75, with interest as prayed. Motion for a new trial overruled, and defendant appeals.

As we construe the contract it made Earnest the defendant’s managing agent. Kron v. Robinson Seed Co., 111 Neb. 147. He executed the contract for and on behalf of the company, using his own discretion as to the person or persons with whom he would contract, and for what defendant would contract. The matured crop was to be delivered at defendant’s place of business at North Loup, of which he had charge; he was to inspect and pass judgment on the corn at delivery, and pay plaintiff the field corn market price at the time at North Loup, ascertaining and determining the price as between the parties. Thus, it will be seen that Earnest was an agent at this particular place, invested with the general management of the business of this domestic corporation, and clothed with the exercise of judgment, discretion, determination, conduct, and control of its affairs, and was in fact its managing agent. The evidence by way of affidavits also supported the court’s ruling. Its holding is in harmony with our decisions running from Porter v. Chicago & N. W. R. Co., 1 Neb. 14, to Kron v. Robinson Seed Co., supra, and error was not committed.

Instruction No. 13, given by the court on its own motion, is complained of by defendant, for the reason that the case was without pleading or evidence calling for an instruction on waiver. The defendant at the trial, and here, contends that the fact that it received the corn was not a waiver of its right to inspect after delivery,' and the fact that it had tested samples before delivery, was not a waiver of its right to test after delivery. '

The plaintiff insists that under the contract the defendant had a right to but one test' of the corn for germinating purposes, and that, as it tested' the corn' beforé delivery, it waived its right' to test aftérward.

The petition alleges that a test as to the germinating [578]

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Liakas v. State
72 N.W.2d 677 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1955)
McConnon & Co. v. Bellamy
262 N.W. 863 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1935)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
199 N.W. 855, 112 Neb. 573, 1924 Neb. LEXIS 203, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jorgensen-v-j-c-robinson-seed-co-neb-1924.